April 10, 2009

Section: LimeLight

Edition: LL

Page: D17

Spicy sauces, sticky rice rule at artistic Reangthai

Ashby Stiff

By Ashby Stiff

SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT

Reangthai. It is a small and exquisitely genteel Thai restaurant, even in the basic simplicity of its hidden, hilltop storefront location.

The artistically presented cuisine and the exotic ambience hark back to a golden kingdom lazing in the sun between the Gulf of Tonkin and the Andaman Sea -- a land of fabled history and jewel-toned silks, of tuk-tuk motorcycle taxis in teeming cities and colorful kites drifting over coastal beaches that stretch to infinity.

Both the menu and the decor speak of Southeast Asian kitchens that borrow wisps and smidgens from the foods of China, India and Cambodia, but express Thai identity in myriad dishes flavored with garlic, chilies, lime juice, lemon grass, fish sauce and gingery galangal root. Such creations are served with sticky jasmine rice, the better to harbor intriguing sauces, some made as fiery, or not, as one wishes.

It is this cooking that Chef Donna Mulsing has known since her native Thai childhood and expanded through years of cooking classes taken on frequent junkets to her homeland, and is evidenced in dishes she has created and perfected through many trials and revisions.

It's devotion to her art that finds Mulsing in the restaurant's kitchen at 7 a.m. of a morning, cracking coconuts for the fresh meat and milk that go into her acclaimed coconut ice cream. Or making biweekly shopping trips to Thai markets in Atlanta and Orlando to restock her ingredients.

We've often said the restaurant is the epitome of niceness, from the gracious, smiling front-door reception of the chef's spouse and partner, Tong, to the fanfold linen napkins and the colorful, often changing tie-back slips on the dining chairs, now silvery white for spring.

After sunset, a romantic aura descends with the light of candles and small, red-shaded table lamps. Polite servers come and go quietly, tantalizing one's appetite with the exotic aromas wafting from their food trays.

The wine cart encompasses ample numbers of popular domestics -- Beringer, Meridian, Mondavi -- reasonably priced in the $20 range for bottles, $5.50 the glass for house vintage. Thai and domestic beers, and plum wine and sake, also are available.

We make no secret of the fact that our all-time favorite soup is the celestial Thai coconut, chicken and lime creation Tom Kha. Chef Mulsing's flavorsome, cream-toned rendition optionally comes in shrimp, vegetable and tofu varieties, though it's the chicken that we prize.

But other starters of faintly tomato broth-based Tom Yum soup with shrimp, skewered Chicken Satay served with peanut and cucumber sauces, and crisp, meaty fried dumplings with ginger-cilantro sauce also produce fine introductions to meals.

Too, even with the riches of classic and new, creative specialties found in the menu, we rarely miss having one of the red, green, Panang or Masaman Thai curries that we've ordered since they were the stars of the menu at the chef's first Bangkok City restaurant at Lafayette Place, years ago. They now come with seven choices of meats, or in vegetarian and tofu styles.

Other recommended specialties -- Long Island Sea Bass or Scallops with ginger-red chili sauce, Fresh Salmon with Garlic-Pepper Sauce, and fruity, mildly spicy Mango Scallops -- make for pleasing main courses.

Among recent chef's specials, we previously had shared the beautifully presented whole Red Snapper, and had enjoyed the Soft Shell Crab dishes, so at a recent visit, our choice was of Shrimp (optionally, Scallops) in Black Bean Sauce, with the many shrimp, carrot strips, snow peas, onions and small black mushrooms paired amicably with the chef's newly created Black Bean and Garlic Sauce.

Dark, assertively delicious and served at requested Thai-spicy (read: searing) level, the sauce was dream material for the lover of spicy foods.

At dessert time, a handsome shared assortment of coconut ice cream, Chantilly-topped brown sugar custard and crisp, phyllo-wrapped banana batons ended an evening of ever-pleasurable dining.

REANGTHAI

4 HATS.

Address: 2747 Capital Circle NE; 386-7898

Hours: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday; closed Sunday

Payment: Master Card and Visa accepted, checks are not

Average tab: $22.50, dinner and a glass of wine

Dress code: Casual

Wheelchair accessible: Yes

Beverage service: Beer and wine

Smoking: No

Reservations: No